Trace your can back to the sea today. Jump on board to see where and how your albacore was caught. With Kirkland Signature, we are committed to bringing you only the very best albacore tuna, from catch to can.
Enter the code beside the "best by" date on your can. READ MORE about where the can code is located.
If you don’t have a can code, but still want to learn about where and how our albacore tuna is caught, simply click on the button below.
Trace complete. Scroll down for findings.
The most recent scientific assessment of this South Pacific albacore stock determined that it was not in an overfished condition and that fishing levels are at levels required to maintain Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). MSY is the upper limit on fishing that allows the population to replenish an equal or greater amount than what is being removed from our oceans...
The 2014 stock assessment from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) indicates that this stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing relative to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). MSY is the upper limit on fishing that allows the population...
The last stock assessment of the North Atlantic Ocean albacore stock indicated that overfishing relative to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) target was not occurring, but that the fishery is in a slightly overfished condition relative to MSY. For a number of years, catches of albacore have been well below both the MSY limit and the total allowable catch (TAC) limit and ...
The most recent scientific assessment of this South Pacific albacore stock determined that it was not in an overfished condition and that fishing levels are at levels required to maintain Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). MSY is the upper limit on fishing that allows the population to replenish an equal or greater amount than what is being removed from our oceans.
About one-third of the world’s albacore catch comes from the South Pacific Albacore Fishery, with a vast majority of fish being caught by longline fishing vessels. The largest portion is caught in, around, and between the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. Another significant portion is caught near the Cook Islands and Tahiti. The South Pacific Albacore can be found in sub-tropical waters from Southeast Asia all the way to Latin America and is principally managed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) (http://www.wcpfc.int/about-wcpfc), an international regional fisheries management organization.
To read more about the stock status, please visit: http://iss-foundation.org/about-tuna/status-of-the-stocks/
For more information and to see the report by the WCPFC, please visit: SA-WP-04-Stock-Assessment-Albacore-Tuna-SPO-Rev-1.pdf
×The 2014 stock assessment from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) indicates that this stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing relative to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). MSY is the upper limit on fishing that allows the population to replenish an equal or greater amount than what is being removed from our oceans.
Close to 15% of the world’s albacore catch comes from the Indian Ocean Albacore Fishery, with the majority of fish being caught by longline fishing vessels. The portion caught for Kirkland Signature comes from the western half of the Indian Ocean where the albacore stock is managed by an international regional fisheries management organization known as Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (http://www.iotc.org). The stock can be found from Madagascar in the west, to Australia in the east.
To read more about the stock status, please visit: http://iss-foundation.org/about-tuna/status-of-the-stocks/
For information on the 2014 stock assessment from the IOTC, please visit: iotc.org/sites/default/files/documents/science/species_summaries/english/Albacore.pdf
×The last stock assessment of the North Atlantic Ocean albacore stock indicated that overfishing relative to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) target was not occurring, but that the fishery is in a slightly overfished condition relative to MSY. For a number of years, catches of albacore have been well below both the MSY limit and the total allowable catch (TAC) limit and at current fishing levels and under the current management plan, the stock is on its way back towards MSY level.
The RFMO responsible for managing both Atlantic albacore stocks is the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). The ICCAT manages the North Atlantic Ocean albacore fishery by limiting the number of vessels targeting albacore and by establishing a TAC that has been set at 28,000 tons for 2014-2016.
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Chang Ying #368
Nation of Record: Taiwan
Trip Beginning: June 24, 2013
Trip End: April 01, 2014
Chang Ying #368
Nation of Record: Fiji
Trip Beginning: June 24, 2013
Trip End: April 01, 2014
Chang Ying #368
Nation of Record: Belize
Trip Beginning: June 24, 2013
Trip End: April 01, 2014
Chang Ying #368
Nation of Record: China
Trip Beginning: June 24, 2013
Trip End: April 01, 2014
The ideal way to catch large, mature fish that inhabit the deep waters, like albacore, yellowfin and bigeye is the longline fishing method.
The method uses about a 40-mile long main line, kept afloat with buoys, from which branch lines are suspended with a baited hook attached to the end.
When it is time to harvest, the fishermen locate the buoys and retrieve the main line by pulling it back onto the boat.
The fish are caught one by one during this process and then immediately frozen in a blast freezing system.
Our white meat tuna comes only from albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga). Albacore ranges in size from 10 - 80 lbs and is a highly migratory species, always on the move and found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Albacore catches represent only about 5% of the world’s tuna catch on an annual basis. Albacore meat is delicious and very light in color with a very mild flavor.
Our albacore first lands in the town of Levuka on the small island of Ovalau in the nation of Fiji. Ovalau is an island of less than 10,000 people located in the South Pacific in the heart of albacore fishing grounds.
Landing our albacore in Fiji provides a boost to the local economy and community through the jobs it provides and through engagement with the local community.
Our albacore first lands on the island nation of Mauritius, a small island off the east coast of Africa close to the Indian Ocean albacore fishing grounds.
Landing our albacore in Mauritius provides a boost to the local economy and community through the jobs it provides and through engagement with the local community.
This albacore first lands in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. Barranquilla is located on the northern coast of Columbia on the Caribbean Sea.
Here in Levuka, whole albacore fish are processed and finished into frozen loins that are shipped to the cannery in the
The process of converting whole albacore to loins begins when tuna is moved from the plant freezer, thawed in water and prepared for initial processing. The tuna is then loaded into metal racks, which are wheeled into large steam pre-cookers. Tuna is cooked for a prescribed time and temperature depending upon the size of the fish. Once the tuna is cooled, the white meat is removed from the bones. The tuna loins are placed in bags, blast frozen to lock in moisture and placed on pallets for shipment to the cannery in California.
Initially processing our albacore in Fiji provides a boost to the local economy and community through the jobs it provides and through engagement with the local community.
Our supplier employs over 1,000 people in this small town providing the main source of employment. 80% of the employees are women who are the primary income earners of the family.
The company is a strong local steward engaged with the local community directly supporting the Norah Frazer School of Special Needs, the Girl Guides of Moutoriki, and sponsoring a local youth volleyball team!
Here in Mauritius, whole albacore fish are processed and finished into frozen loins that are shipped to the cannery in the
The process of converting whole albacore to loins begins when tuna is moved from the plant freezer, thawed in water and prepared for initial processing. The tuna is then loaded into metal racks, which are wheeled into large steam pre-cookers. Tuna is cooked for a prescribed time and temperature depending upon the size of the fish. Once the tuna is cooled, the white meat is removed from the bones. The tuna loins are placed in bags, blast frozen to lock in moisture and placed on pallets for shipment to the cannery in California.
Here in Colombia, the whole albacore fish are processed and finished into frozen loins, which are shipped to our cannery in the
The process of converting whole albacore to loins begins when tuna is moved from the plant freezer, thawed in water and prepared for initial processing. The tuna is then loaded into metal racks, which are wheeled into large steam pre-cookers. Tuna is cooked for a prescribed time and temperature depending upon the size of the fish. Once the tuna is cooled, the white meat is removed from the bones. The tuna loins are placed in bags, blast frozen to lock in moisture and placed on pallets for shipment to the cannery in California.
All our Kirkland Signature Albacore Tuna is proudly canned here in the USA, in Santa Fe Springs, California.
Our commitment to quality starts with sustainably sourced Tuna and the requirement that only the very best albacore goes into every can of Kirkland Signature. All of our albacore tuna is hand selected, from multiple fishing trips, to ensure it meets our standards of excellence.
We are proud that Kirkland Signature Albacore comes from sources that are committed to and actively working towards the long term health of our Ocean’s tuna stocks. Our tuna is harvested in a manner that allows the fish population to replenish at an equal or greater amount than what is being removed from our oceans thus insuring healthy, abundant oceans today, tomorrow and for future generations. Our suppliers are members of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a global partnership of scientists, the tuna industry and the World Wildlife Fund. The mission of ISSF is to undertake science based Initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, the reduction of non-targeted marine life and the promotion of healthy ecosystems.
To learn more about ISSF: http://iss-foundation.org/about-us/
